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Countless actors would give anything for what Billie Eilish achieved at just 20 years old. Eilish and Finneas won an Oscar for Best Original Song (“No Time To Die” from No Time To Die) at the 94th Academy Awards. But almost exactly one year later, Eilish can officially call herself an actor.

Eilish attended the Los Angeles premiere of Swarm on March 14. Donald Glover and Janine Nabers’ Amazon Prime Video original series “follows Dre (Dominique Fishback), a young woman whose obsession with a pop star takes a dark turn.” Chlöe plays Marissa, Dre’s sister, and Eilish confirmed this morning, March 16, that she’s also part of the cast by posting a clip from one of her scenes.

It’s much eerier than her all-smiles carousel from the premiere, so we already know she has range.

Per Entertainment Tonight, Eilish’s character is one of many characters encountered by Dre as she “continues on her increasingly violent path.” According to Eilish’s IMDb page, her character is named Eva.

ET additionally relayed, “The idea to add her to the ensemble came from casting director Carmen Cuba, who knew that the singer wanted to get into acting. For Glover, casting Eilish, especially in addition to [Chloe] Bailey and [Paris] Jackson, also provided an opportunity to play up the meta commentary about fandoms and followers.”

Swarm marks Eilish’s scripted acting debut, as her previous IMDb credits are limited to voicing herself in The Simpsons‘ 2022 When Billie Met Lisa short film and starring as herself in all of her music videos, a 2020 episode of Gucci’s mini series Ouverture Of Something That Never Happened, and her 2021 Apple TV+ documentary The World’s A Little Blurry.

Swarm will be available to watch on Amazon Prime Video this Friday, March 17. Watch the official trailer above.

Paramount Network juggernaut Yellowstone isn’t available on Paramount+ to stream (that oddness is explained here), but several Yellowstone-involved and Yellowstone-tangential Taylor Sheridan shows can be found on the streaming service. And I’m also distracted by the thought that some people who search for Yellowstone might stumble onto Yellowjackets, which makes me wonder how they would react to a very different show.

I may never know the answer to that question, but Paramount+ has dropped some promising news worth noticing. The service is currently experimenting with some mobile-only streaming plans in a few countries where mobile-dominant streamers make up a significant chunk of the audience. If the experiment turns into a trend, then perhaps U.S. streamers can look forward to a cheaper option, too? Given the increasing price of what feels like a zillion streaming services, this news feels refreshing. Via Deadline, Mexico and Brazil-based subscribers will see mobile-only plans for “around $2.80 and $4.20 per month.” Here’s why this is happening:

Marco Nobili, Executive Vice President and International General Manager for Paramount+, said the mobile plan is “part of our broader strategy to scale Paramount+. With mobile entertainment consumption increasing around the world, a mobile-only option will make our slate of programming more accessible to our audiences in mobile-first countries,” he added.

Paramount also offered up some data-based conclusions for starting in Mexico and Brazil, since both of those countries apparently stream TV on mobile over 50% of the time. And yes, that sounds like a dream come true for people who are weighing which plans to keep at any given time, and perhaps this will reduce the “churn” phenomenon, too. It’s something to watch, at the very least, to see if a trend develops.

(Via Deadline)

Questlove is always hyping up others, whether that be Lil Yachty for his idiosyncratic new album Let’s Start Here or Meg White from The White Stripes after she received criticism on social media. He’s gotten recognition of his own, too: The Roots have won three Grammys and Questlove picked up a Best Documentary Oscar in 2022. Now, his trophy case continues to grow.

At the 2023 iHeartPodcast Awards on Tuesday (March 14), his podcast Questlove Supreme won Best Music Podcast. It began in in 2016 on Pandora before moving onto iHeart in 2019. Other nominees for that category included Broken Record, Drink Champs, Listening, and Song Exploder.

Questlove is the perfect person to host a podcast, considering he’s always around to answer questions and give explanations to current events. Last month, he was on Twitter discussing rap representation at the Grammys.

One user asked, “Why was there no representation of talent from the 2010’s,” and Questlove replied, “because they said ‘no’, or they walked out.” Another said, “I’m sure there were all types of circumstances, but Ice-T as the Only LA representative, in Staples Center, in Los Angeles… is WILD!! Great performance otherwise.” Questlove answered, “welp: I asked like 10 legends so….sometimes you gotta go with the one who wants you. again might not be your preference but most of hip hop has side gigs. Acting was the main issue. lotta movies being shot.”

For many, even those that proudly wave the flag of self-love, the sight of that first gray hair is anxiety inducing. That single strand is a harbinger of the doom of our youth. More than one, and you might as well weave them together to create yourself a noose. It’s time to kiss your beauty—and therefore, your value—goodbye.

But what if, instead of marking the end of our glory days, we could see this change as a new chapter with equally glorious reveals? Something worth presenting, rather than hiding?

Back in July 2021, actress Andie MacDowell made headlines for rocking the silver vixen look at the Cannes Film Festival. MacDowell’s hair has always been a defining feature, but previously she had been coloring her raven locks to maintain her signature look. This was at the behest of her managers, according to an interview with Vogue.

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But after her kids officially declared the salt-and-pepper look was “badass,” MacDowell started to see going natural as a “power move.” So she followed the impulse, and you don’t need me to tell you it was a bit of a social media sensation.

MacDowell reflected on how freeing the experience was in a conversation with Interview Magazine. “I feel better like this. Honestly, it’s exhausting to have to be something that you no longer are…I was finally like, ‘You know what? I’m not young. And I’m OK with that..I feel so much more comfortable. It’s like I’ve taken a mask off or something.”’

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Isn’t this a battle so many of us fight? Instead of basking in how far we’ve come, we spend so much effort trying to wind back the clock. And in all the rigamarole of trying to delay the inevitable, we forget that aging is a glorious gift. One that’s not guaranteed.

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Even when we use terms like “embrace the gray,” there’s this connotation that aging is this frightening tidal wave that we simply need to bolster ourselves for. Where’s the grace in that? I mean, yes, as the end of life approaches, it is scary to think about the impending unknown. But the process of getting there? Perhaps not so much.

In the same article, MacDowell reflected that she, too, “hates the word ’embrace,’ because it always sounds like you’re having to accept something, and I don’t feel like that.” I love this viewpoint. Accept it? Why not value it? Let’s come back to the original meaning of the word … and welcome it warmly.

MacDowell continued “We do have something unique to offer. You can’t be young forever, but you can always be considered beautiful, fashionable, and glamorous.”

The cynical voice in your head might say, “sure easy for someone who’s already glamorous to say that.” But MacDowell isn’t the only one who made this discovery. Tons of “real” women have had the same revelation.

Once the pandemic caused salons across the country to close down (coupled with major pay cuts and job losses), a surge of women chose to stop coloring their hair. But—as with many life aspects affected by COVID-19—what started as a forced restriction became an opportunity for reinvention. In ditching the hair dye, many women found that their silver strands were not only tolerable, they were empowering.

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Now you could even say gray hair is “in” and making a comeback tour. And trust, these dames are definitely glamorous. This is not just an experience for A-listers.

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Of course, this movement is not just about aesthetics. There is a bigger idea here. It’s no secret that our society has some deep-seated stigmas when it comes to aging, for women in particular. We place a high value on those “30 Under 30” lists, seek out the strongest retinol to erase all signs of life and stand mouth agape in horror at the first mention of the word “ma’am.” But it doesn’t have to be that way. All chapters of life are precious, and worth celebrating.

I’m a firm believer that glamor is only a result of confidence. And as we grow older, we only become more dynamic, more nuanced, more interesting. If that’s not a confidence booster, I don’t know what is.

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Going gray won’t be the answer for everyone. I certainly don’t plan on trading in my signature red anytime soon. But the real call to adventure is: How can you feel good about yourself at every stage of life? How can you throw away the (false) notion that you somehow lose your shine with every passing year?

As the saying goes, “beauty is truth, truth beauty.” I think we can really see that in stories like these. To age gracefully is to age fearlessly. Radical self-acceptance is gorgeous.

This article originally appeared on 02.25.22

When a couple has their first child, they start out with the greatest of intentions and expectations. The child will only eat organic food. They will never watch TV or have screen time and will always stay clean.

But soon, reality sets in and if they have more kids, they’ll probably be raised with a lot less attention. As a result, first-born kids turn out a bit differently than their younger siblings.

“Rules are a bit more rigid, attention and validation is directed and somewhat excessive,” Niro Feliciano, LCSW, a psychotherapist and anxiety specialist, told Parents. “As a result, firstborns tend to be leaders, high achievers, people-pleasing, rule-following and conscientious, several of the qualities that tend to predict success.”

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However, it’s not just laziness that makes parents change their M.O. As parents gain experience, they learn not to sweat the small stuff and to have a bit more faith in their children.

Tova Leigh is a writer and performer who creates funny sketches on TikTok about parenting and feminism. To point out the differences between new and veteran moms she made a series of funny sketches with fellow mom Riona O Connor.

In the first video, the two mothers deal with fighting children. The new mommy uses a sweet voice and quietly suggests, “Oh honey, no, no fighting, sweetie. Gentle hands” to the brawling kids. When that doesn’t work, the veteran mother screams, “We said stop fighting!”

@tova_leigh

We’re all doing a great job, some of us just do it a little louder (or with a hose) 😂 which one are you?! with @rionaoconnor_ #fyp #funny #parenting #momsoftiktok

The video must have hit a nerve with parents everywhere because it went viral, racking up more than 3 million views. “As a mum of 5… this is 100% accurate,” Lora Bora wrote in the comments. Kira agreed saying, “I got 4…. And I felt this in my soul.”

While the video was funny, it should also provide some comfort to young mothers who feel overwhelmed by the pressure to be perfect. As blogger Constance Hall points out, the need to be perfect can rob us of precious time with our kids.

“We are only half present for them all of the time due to the constant pressure to have everything perfect,” Hall wrote in a viral Facebook post. “To go to the gym, answer that email, pay that bill, cook that organic kale, blend it, get it into a patty so no one knows it’s kale, get to the doctors…. Make the kids lunches cos if you order them again you will be JUDGED!”

In the second video, the two mothers have very different approaches to making a puree.

@tova_leigh

We’re all doing a great job, some of us just do it with a happy meal 🤪 which one are you? With @rionaoconnor_ #funny #fyp #momlife

In a third video, the two parents express their Christmas spirit in very different ways.

@tova_leigh

#ad AD We are all doing a great job, some of us just do it with less Christmas spirit 😉 Which one are you?! Did you recognise any of the lines? They are all from our favorite movies available on @SkyTV this Christmas. What’s your favorite? With the amazing @rionaoconnor_ TAG A FRIEND #ChristmasOnSky #fyp #funny #momlife #momsontiktok #newmomvsveteranmom #ad

Kids grow up fast and if you blink an eye, you just may miss it. So regardless if you’re a new mom or a veteran mom, take a page out of these mothers’ books, relax a bit and have fun being a parent. Your kids will probably forget your vegan kale puree, but they’ll always remember the time you spent just being present.

This article originally appeared on 05.18.22

A growing number of adults in the United States say that they aren’t interested in having children. A 2021 study by Pew Research found that 44% of nonparents aged 18 to 49 say that it is “not too or not at all likely that they will have children someday.” That’s a 7% increase over the 37% who said the same in 2018.

Fifty-six percent of those say they simply don’t want to have children, and the 46% who chose “some other reason” cited medical reasons, their financial situation, lack of a partner, age and state of the world as the biggest reasons they aren’t likely to have kids in the future.

A Reddit user by the name of ilovenosycats asked the online forum, “Why don’t you have kids and/or do not plan on having kids?” and received a lot of revealing answers. Over 1,700 people responded to the question, and some of the most popular reasons contradict the idea that those who don’t want to have kids are being selfish.

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Many who replied to the thread said they don’t want to have children because they don’t think they’d be good parents. Others are dealing with childhood trauma and have no interest in passing it on to their kids. Some are concerned about the condition of the world and don’t think it’s right to bring a child into such a challenging place.

Some enjoy having fewer responsibilities and a couple of extra dollars in their pockets. And who can blame them?

While it’s good to understand those who want to remain child-free, people’s reproductive choices are no one else’s business. There are many great reasons to have kids or be child-free. So, it’s probably best to celebrate each other’s differences when it comes to such a big decision.

Plus, no one should have children unless they really want them.

Here are 15 of the best responses to the question: “Why don’t you have kids and/or do not plan on having kids?”

1.

“I just don’t feel like I want it badly enough, and one should really want to have a child in order to be able to give their 100% as a parent, every child deserves that.” — SignificantFunny1523

Usedcellist1 added:

“This is my reason. Waiting for that ‘badly enough”‘to kick in. It’s getting hard to differentiate between wanting to fit in socially (not wanting to miss my friends and family’s current ‘baby wave’), and what I actually want. Been married 4 years now and I’m 32, so it’s just… hard. I struggle with the idea daily.”

2.

“Sleep. I love sleep. I get up when I’m being paid to get up but otherwise my great and immediate joy is sleeping until I don’t feel like sleeping anymore. I much prefer sleep to children.” — DamnIGottaJustSay

3.

“This curse ends with me.” — DavetheRoper

4.

“Don’t have the patience for kids.” — Leoimirmir

5.

“I don’t want to be a parent. That’s a perfectly valid reason.” — AllyriaCelene

6.

“Cost of raising a kid, and the lifelong stress of raising a kid.” — Typical_Conclusion_5

7.

“Would rather help an existing life be better through adoption than to create another one. As well as not pass down my less than optimal genetics.” — LoonaticLaskdorp

8.

“I like my life exactly like it is. Kids might make it better. They might make it worse. But, since this is awesome, I’m great with things staying the way they are.” — SnooWords4513

9.

“I have OCD and trauma that would be entirely overwhelmed by a child. Children deserve to be annoying, gross, messy, and to have fun. I would not be able to foster an environment where a small child had the freedom to have fun without feeling bad about themself. Children are annoying but they’re supposed to be. It would be unfair for me to have a child that I know would overstimulate me. You don’t get breaks from being a parent and I just don’t think I’ll ever be ready for that.

I would perhaps like to adopt or foster older children one day. I think I could help someone have a very nice life. I’d also like to give a child the adult guidance I needed and never had.

Overall, I think I’m more suited to be a cool uncle. I love kids and feel like they represent the best parts of personhood — love, trust, freedom of self-expression without shame. I just don’t think I’d be a good fit for small kids long term. My own desires to nurture another don’t overpower the personal limitations I hold, I believe that would be selfish. On a personal level, I would also be horrified if I had a child with the same disorders that I have. I know the struggles and pains of growing up mentally ill and mistreated, and I never hope to make another person feel that way.” — TheSoundofStyrofoam

10.

“Bringing someone into this world is cruel.” — dziwolonk

11.

“I can barely look after myself let alone a kid.” — Rude_Act_6276

12.

“Isn’t 8 Billion People enough?” — Georgiculus

13.

“Responsibility is one of the things I hate most in my life. I want peace of mind. I don’t want to deal with a creature that I have to take care of everything. Besides, this world isn’t a good place anyway, if I had a child I wouldn’t be able to live my own life trying to give him a good life. That’s why I don’t have children.” — Corvuseums

14.

“Being a DINK is the literal best. We are the coolest neighbors on the block, amazing aunts and uncles, loving parents to several pets, and have enough free money that we can give money to charities and causes we believe in. I think I am a better member of my community without kids. (I fully believe this is not the case for everyone and there are many fantastic parents.)” — probably_a_possum

15.

“I can’t impregnate myself.” — Nirvana_bob7

Dogs can be weird. They’ve all got their own personalities and sometimes we owners have to raise an eyebrow and scratch our heads trying to figure out what they’re thinking. Milton, a family’s pit bull has taken to sneaking around his house for no real reason. Or maybe there is a reason, but he keeps getting caught before he can finish his diabolical plan.

Danielle Tholen told The Dodo that he started tiptoeing to get to his own food bowl when he was about 7 months old, so she took him to the vet thinking something was wrong with the puppy. Turns out, he’s just really bad at sneaking…well, kinda. Milton is so quiet that you can’t hear him on the hardwood floors, but he’s also a fairly large dog who tiptoes right in front of people.

But shhhh…he’s a stealthy boy.

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“He legitimately does it to try to steal food, or make himself available in case I drop some food or he can steal it from the trash. He’s sneaky,” Tholen says in the video.

Milt’s owner goes on to explain that the constant tiptoeing started about two or three years ago, but when he was a puppy, it was just every once in a while. It’s certainly an interesting way to get around the house. I suppose if you’re constantly tiptoeing, then eventually your silent movements will land you with a stray spoil of vittles as your reward.

But Milton moves so slowly while he’s attempting to stealthily sneak forbidden treats that it looks like someone has accidentally hit slow motion on the remote. His peculiar behavior is adorable and seems to keep his owner laughing.

Watch Milton creep around below:

What can’t Billie Eilish do? That’s a rhetorical question. While Eilish’s fans impatiently await her next musical era, the Oscar and seven-time Grammy winner is busy rolling out her next Nike collaboration and expanding her acting prowess.

Eilish attended the Los Angeles premiere of Swarm last night, March 15, with boyfriend Jesse Rutherford ahead of its Amazon Prime Video release this Friday, March 15. “From Janine Nabers and Donald Glover, Swarm follows Dre (Dominique Fishback), a young woman whose obsession with a pop star takes a dark turn,” the official description teases.

We’ve known that Fishback is starring opposite Chlöe, but Eilish and just confirmed that she’s also part of Dre’s twisted journey. The 21-year-old posted a clip to Instagram. In it, Dre tells Eilish’s character about red milk spilled on the carpet. “Did you hurt someone?” Eilish’s character asks. “Yes,” Dre confirms, and Eilish sends chills down the spine with a whispered, “Very good.”

Hailey Bieber (“!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”) and Gracie Abrams (“Oh im obsessed”) were among those flooding the comments section.

According to The Daily Mail, Eilish’s character is rumored to be named Eva, “though no details about the role have been revealed.”
Entertainment Tonight provided a little more detail:

“Debuting on Friday, the series follows a young woman named Dre (Fishback) whose obsession with one of the world’s biggest pop stars as well as an unexpected trauma involving her sister, Marissa (Chloe Bailey), sets her on a dark journey across the country.

As Dre continues on her increasingly violent path, she encounters characters played by Damson Idris (Marissa’s boyfriend, Khalid) as well as Bryron Bowers, Kiersey Clemons, Paris Jackson, internet personality Rickey Thompson, Rory Culkin and American Auto breakout X Mayo. That includes Eilish.”

ET also noted that Eilish’s Swarm supporting role marks her official acting debut “in a fully scripted role.”

See Eilish’s Instagram carousel from the Swarm premiere below, and watch the official Swarm trailer above.

The New York Mets have lofty aspirations for the 2023 season, but they will now have to navigate a year without their star closer Edwin Diaz in order to reach those championship goals.

Diaz closed out a 5-2 win for Puerto Rico over the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday night, and during the ensuing celebration as the team jumped up and down around him, Diaz fell to the ground grabbing at his right knee. Diaz was unable to walk off on his own power, eventually leaving the field in a wheelchair after being helped up by the training staff and teammates.

The concern that Diaz had suffered a significant injury that would cost him the entire MLB season was unfortunately confirmed on Thursday, with Jeff Passan bringing word that an MRI showed Diaz had torn his patellar tendon.

With Diaz expected to miss the entire season, the Mets will have to find a new closer in short order, suddenly turning an area of strength into a major question mark for the franchise. The injury has also sparked plenty of conversation about the WBC and whether teams should let their players play, with Mets fans unsurprisingly upset to see one of their stars injured in the tournament. The argument of many is that it is a “meaningless exhibition,” but that doesn’t exactly track with the emotion you see from the guys on the field and the packed stadiums watching the tournament. It isn’t a huge deal for the U.S., which is why the backlash is happening, but in Puerto Rico, Japan, Dominican Republic, and elsewhere, it is a huge deal and sometimes freak accidents just happen.

There are some shows that are so big, you have to tune in. Take The Last Of Us or House of the Dragon, for instance. If you have so much as looked at the internet over the last year, you know that these shows have been dominating, and there is no chance of them slowing down, which is the perfect opportunity to start watching said shows, because you know they will have long and prosperous runs. This isn’t always the case: if you want to check out a new series but keep hearing about different shows being cancelled left and right, it would be understandable if you are hesitant. In fact, you are not alone.

According to a new study from YouGov (via Variety), almost half of Americans either sometimes or always wait until a show concludes before diving in. In the 18-to-34-year-old age group, 25% said always and 34% said they sometimes wait for an entire show to air before deciding to watch, thanks to the appeal of binging 5 episodes in one sitting.

Of that hesitant bunch, 27% decide to wait due to fear of the series being cancelled abruptly with no conclusion or satisfying ending. Many shows were sacrificed in the last year due to various restructuring from your favorite streamers, though some showrunners came up with a little bit of closure. After The Midnight Club was axed, producer Mike Flanagan wrote a lengthy Tumblr post outlining how the second season would have gone down. While it would be better for fans to actually see their storylines play out, it was a nice gesture!

The survey also revealed that 31% of U.S. adults who use streaming services estimated that at least one to three of the shows they had started since February 2022 had been cancelled, leaving cliffhangers and sometimes garnering sometimes aggressive fan-led campaigns to bring them back.

While we may never have justice for certain shows (Santa Clarita Diet deserved better), we will always have at least 20 seasons of Grey’s Anatomy to watch at any given time, which is a small peace of mind.

(Via Variety)